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Wednesday, August 1, 2018

I have walked 500 miles ......and I will walk 2150 more! That first part sounds like something to celebrate until you read the second part but I am still celebrating! I've walked through the incredibly beautiful state of Washington! The state with the most elevation changes and the steepest sections I've walked over snowfislds and gripped my trekking poles tightly as I've maneuvered carefully across steep, snowy slopes. I've held my breath as I've trusted narrow sections of loose rocks not to give away along miles of a catwalk trail and watched as a giant rock fell from above wiping out the trail ten feet in front of me before continuing down the mountainside.. I've hiked through snow, hail, rain and scorching sun and come out at the other side stronger, leaner and more agile than I was twenty years ago. Yes, I'm celebrating!

Washington has absolutely blown me away with its beauty starting right from day one in the northern cascades. It was so beautiful that sometimes I would listen to the music I brought to distract me on the hard ups not because I was actually on a hard up but because I was stopping every few seconds to take another picture or cry because I couldn't believe the view or start laughing because I couldn't believe my good fortune at being here and seeing this. I know it's hard to believe but taking in too much beauty is so overwhelming! The Goat Rock Wilderness was another gorgeous section where it was hard not to get distracted by beauty in every single direction I would look.

And it's not just the trail that makes Washington so awesome but the people I have met here. Every little town has it's own character and the sense of community here is something that has been missing for decades where I am from. The kindness from total strangers still astounds me from the initial offer of help to pick me up at the ferry hours away and help me with my mail drops and get me to the trail to the man who just walked up to us as we were hanging out at Cascadia Inn and offered us a ride to the trail to the woman who overheard a part of a conversation and brought Moonshine to her home to shower and do laundry and then back to the trailhead. Washington is full of people who help the minute they see a need. Thank you Washington!

And I found a hiking partner in Washington! Rogue is great fun and I am so happy to be hiking with him! He always has me laughing at something, is very considerate and apologises even more than most Canadians (I will cure him of this and by the end of the trail we will both be badass and not sorry). And besides with trailnames like Trouble and Rogue we sound like we were destined to hike together. Because I am going southbound I didn't expect to see very many hikers and certainly didn't expect to meet anyone who had a similar pace as me or hiked the same number of miles each day. I have been amazed at the number of southbound hikers this year and have actually only camped on my own on three occasions. Thanks for everything Washington you have given me so much more than I expected!

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Expectations.... They can ruin a hike when things don't quite turn out like you think. I was so excited to start this hike. And right from the start I had trail angels offering me help, how awesome is that! The day I started the trail was beautiful, more beautiful than I could have imagined. Blowing all of my expectations away. And the ups! The ups weren't that bad! Easier than I thought really! Again making my expectations seem irrelevant. Then the weather changed and I started into a snowy section. Still everything was so stunningly gorgeous that it was hard for a little bit of snow or rain or hail to change my mind. I was loving It! And the trail was easier than I had imagined.

I made it back to Harts Pass where the ranger was keeping my food cashe safe. And then I made it to my next resupply and was so proud of myself for managing to get in and out of a town on the same day. All the while the trail was blowing my mind with how amazing it was. Sure there were snow sections but I knew that going in. Yes, it was hard but did I ever expect it would be easy?

Then the snow sections turned into miles and miles of snow in the most treacherous areas. There was a day where I had planned to get to a certain campsite but when I arrived it was covered in feet of snow and so I kept walking. The next campsite was even worse and I knew I couldn't handle a night hike on a snowy mountain. I searched for the safest place to set up camp and woke up to rain on slushy snow making that next day even harder than the last. I got lost that day...a few times. I fell that day... a few times. I actually slid down part of a mountainside and was saved by trees. None of these things were expected. None of these things were welcome. I knew I needed to keep moving to keep warm but I also knew I needed to eat something. I sat completely soaked and dirty with my tarp wrapped around me forcing tasteless food down my throat while I tried to regroup. What did I expect? And does it matter? I am here. Right now. Dealing with these conditions. I wanted to be out here doing this so I had better think like I am doing this. I know whati need to be doing.

Now that I have had some.food and given myself a little pep talk it's time to keep moving. Get back on trail and get off this mountain. I need to get as low as possible, beyond the snow. Just for a night, I tell myself. The walk down is cold but the longer I walk the warmer I start to feel until I realize that I'm not cold anymore.

At the bottom, I still have energy and it's still raining so there is no use in stopping so soon. I make promises to myself that I will stop going up and set up camp before the next snowy section. I end up walking for miles in a gorgeous forest that had giant redwoods in it. It soothes me and I find myself happy to be here again. I set up in such a good sheltered spot that several hikers walked right by not noticing I was even there.

The next day I walk up into the miles of snow again but it is sunny. The hikers I meet today all tell me of their misadventures from yesterday. I feel better. I was not alone yesterday. I am never really alone. We get lost again in the snow, this time together and in the sun and it is funny. We laugh at our mistakes and each pull out our phones to search for the real trail. We laugh at the problems from yesterday, each of us reliving yesterday's awful experiences yet today for some reason they seem funny.

I don't know what this trail is going to throw at me. The expectations I have or even the problems I expect to face might never happen. I will take what I am given and try to adapt.

So far just in this first two hundred miles the trail has surpassed all expectation of beauty and ruggedness. So far I have met more southbound hikers than I imagined and I realize that I don't have to hike alone if I don't want too. There are many out here doing the same thing and going through the same struggles. What will come next? Who knows? This time I am trying to get rid of all expectations and take what comes.﻿﻿

Thursday, June 21, 2018

In a few short weeks I will be living on a trail again and yet I am still undecided on some of my gear choices. Right now, I know I have too much in my pack. When I started hiking the Appalachian Trail I also had too much in my pack. It took months of living on the trail and realising just how little I actually needed to survive before I felt comfortable enough to ditch the extra weight. Even then the ditching process took almost the entire trail. I was still stripping away my possessions in New Hampshire.

I'd like to think that I continued that process as I returned from the trail to downsize to a bus but the truth is that I have picked up some of my old habits. As I go through my gear options I can't help but think but what if I really need this. What if this item is what I need to keep warm one night? Will that one night of warmth justify carrying this? And my miniscule repair kit, do I really need It? It's so hard to think back to what I had left in my pack in Maine and be ok with just starting out with those items.

I have a small bag of safety items that I am pretty sure is just extra weight but I can't seem to part with. This is a different trail after all, and I don't really know what I'm going to need yet. I may be starting out with it and if I find.i don't need it I will mail it ahead. I may need it in the High Sierras.

The rest of the extra weight comes in the form of things that keep me comfortable and electronics. I know it is extra but these things enhance my hike. Knowing I have a warm albeit heavier top quilt makes me feel safer. Having a larger tarp that can be used for wind, rain and sun protection makes me.feel like i can manage in any weather condition. I'm even carrying a piece of a wash cloth this time as it does a better job than a bandana at getting rid of the crime and dirt at night. I know I don't need it but I like the feel of clean feet when I sleep..

And the technological stuff? Prior to hiking I was never a creative person and could never keep a journal but on trail I love writing down my thoughts. Having a cell phone and a way to charge it allows me to take pictures, capture memories and write down my stories. I kind of use my phone as a multi purpose tool as I load it up with maps, altimeter, peak scanners and fun stuff like plant identifiers and star gazing apps. If I'm carrying the weight already I might as well make use of it.

So this is why my pack is heavy. I can't part with any of it right now. I can guarantee it will get lighter as I hike down the trail but until I learn what I can part with, it's all coming!

Sunday, June 17, 2018

Today brought more memories of hiking the Appalachian Trail. This time it was the time Melkie decided to chase a moose and I thought the moose had turned around and was charging right at me. And the time he decided to chase the bull. And the many deer he sent on their way long before I had the chance to take a picture. Can you tell where I'm going with this story? Take those experiences and magnify the adrenaline by at least ten!

We were walking the dogs just outside of Duncan along an abandoned rail trail. And yes we knew there were bears in the area we had seen bears and a cougar here on previous occasions and today we saw proof in the form of fresh bear scat. We had gone as far as we wanted to go for the day and had just turned to head back when I spotted something black ahead of me. It took me a minute to realize that it wasn't Cooper and it was a lot bigger than Cooper. Of course by that time Melkie was already onto him. Racing down the tracks towards the sleepy bear not listening our pleas to come back. Within seconds the bear started to run which only made Melkie race faster. The bear headed to the woods and although I was upset, i was pretty sure my dog would come back unharmed. Until a moment later when a second even larger bear stepped out on the tracks in between us and where Melkie disappeared. Oh! Shit! We were hanging on to Cooper who was barking loudly and I thought for sure this new big bear would attack Melkie if he reappeared especially being stuck in between two dogs. Michael decided foolishly to go towards the bear which only made Cooper freak out more and within seconds he had wriggled free of his loose collar. Fortunately Michael was able grab him and about this time Melkie reappeared and somehow got by the big bear without harm. As Melkie was running back towards us the big bear decided to come our way. The bear wasn't up on its hind legs and wasn't giving the tell tale warning sounds but was definitely giving us the message to get out of there and get out of there fast. We were careful not to run but continued to move away from the area until the bear turned around and headed back. Unfortunately we also had to turn around and go back that same way as that was the way back to the bus. This time the dogs were on leashes.

This whole chasing wild animals thing just makes me feel a little better about leaving Melkie behind and I'm adding it as one more reason not to bring him on this next advent8ure.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

I flew back to Ontario for three weeks to visit family and friends and congratulate my daughter on graduating as an RN. The days flew by and it feels like I was only there for a few minutes. I did manage to keep up my training miles by walking all over Ottawa and there were several days that ended up being over 34km (20 miles). The only problem is that Ottawa is flat so imagine my surprise when I got back to be out of breath on a short 15km hike up a mountain. I'm sure I will be ready by the time.i do finally get to start the trail though. Michael has been hiking with me daily and we have hiked most of the local mountains along with a huge portion of the Trans Canada Trail (they are calling it The Great Trail now) in this area.

In the meantime, the work Michael had been promised for the season hasn't panned out and we aren't quite sure what to do. Originally when I first made plans to hike the PCT we had planned for Michael to follow along with the bus and be my support. We got sidetracked with the promise of a high paying job and quickly changed our plans. Now I'm wishing we had stuck to our original plan as there is no high paying job and we just don't have enough saved up for him to follow along and support me. I'm not panicking or anything. I know that things have a way of working themselves out but I am all of a sudden trying to come up with ways to shave the expenses on this hike. And I don't like the idea of Michael having to cross the country on his own to get back to Ontario. Funny eh! I will be out in the wilderness with bears and mountain lions yet am more concerned about Michael driving over the mountains and across the prairies on his own.

Awhile back a trail angel offered to help me get to Harts Pass. Harts Pass is the closest pass to the border (on the American side) that is accessible by road. At the time I thought Michael would be taking me with the bus but the more we thought about it the more nervous we were about crossing the border with a bus that looks like a hippie bus. I recently sent this trail angel a message asking for some transportation advise and he offered.to meet me at the ferry at Anacortes, make the necessary stops I need to make and take me to the trail! How awesome is that! We don't have to worry about our bus being torn apart at the border. We won't have to pay the extra ferry fees for the bus both ways! And I won't have to figure out transportation or where to stop on roads that I'm not familiar with!

Friday, May 4, 2018

It finally stopped raining and spring in BC is absolutely gorgeous! I didn’t realize how much I was just getting used to the beautiful scenery around me and not really appreciating the beauty until I spent a few weeks near Victoria in another gorgeous spot. While Michael worked on a privately owned island just off the coast I had full use of an oceanfront home right next to a big park full of hiking trails! This is another one of those way too good to be true experiences we have had since giving up stable jobs and taking the chance to do what we love. I mean who would have thought this could happen! The anonymous multimillionaire (we don’t even know who owns it as it was the caretakers for the properties that gave us the keys and they were very tight lipped) allowed us to stay without ever even meeting us! Wow!

So I mentioned the nice place but that isn’t the good part, the good part was the trails! I enjoyed every minute of it and saw deer, bunnies and eagles every single day! We saw lots of seals and a sea otter hobbled away from me as I tried to take a picture. I easily logged 20km or more of training hikes daily! It felt so good to be on real trails every single day! While in Maple Bay I often just hike on old logging roads or a quiet lane that follows the coast (also beautiful) but it’s not the same as a real trail. I was a little sad to leave such an amazing spot when the job was finished but was amazed at the changes as we drove back towards Maple Bay. The flowers are all out, the leaves on the trees have grown in. And the contrast in the colour of leaves here is stunning! The Japanese Maple leaves are a deep red/burnt orange colour (a colour you would imagine belongs in autumn yet the leaves are so vibrant and alive) and contrast so nicely with the many shades of green and the pinks from the rhododendron, and the arbutus and the whites, pinks and purples from the peonies. There are beautiful giant red flowers here that I have never seen before in my life and have no idea what they are. I will find out though. So it turns out that they are also rhododendrons, I have just never seen red ones before.

Since I have been back it has been harder for me to get my hiking miles in but am getting into a good routine of taking turns walking the dogs through the nicest of places along the Bay. Of course just as I get back into a routine, I will leave again. This time on my own for a trip back to Ontario to visit the kids. Micheal went back to visit at Christmas and now it’s my turn! When I return from Ontario I will only be back for a month before I leave again for the PCT. With that in mind I am clearing out my few belongings and packing them away to give Michael a little more room while I’m gone.

I can’t believe how few personal items I have now. My hiking gear is a large percentage of it but I am also eliminating the food I know he won’t eat while I am away as well and even the food items take up more space than my clothing items. I hadn’t realized how much I have continued to downsize since living on the bus. I guess that’s a good thing. It makes me

Saturday, March 24, 2018

I thought it might be a good idea to give you an update to my tick incident from a few weeks ago. The doxycycline is kicking my ass! I feel nauseous or sick every morning and have way less energy than normal. I actually wondered if I got Lyme disease. Nope, it turns out it’s all a side effect of the medication.

Although the bruises healed, the scab from where I gouged out the tick looked a bit infected and it made me wonder if I had got all of the tick out. I ended up pulling the scab off (delaying the healing) and making sure there were no tick bits left. The good news was there was no infection hiding underneath but the new scab rubs against my clothes irritating the area and will take even longer to heal. I’m not worried about getting Lyme though so I guess that’s good and am looking forward to the end of the pills.

This whole scenario is a good reminder to always check for ticks, to always treat the clothes you wear out in tick country with permethrin and to visit your doctor before you leave for a long hike and get and fill prescriptions for things like staph infections, Lyme and other tick borne illnesses and also medication for giardia. In my case I’m also adding an epipen and inhaler to my pack because of a few unknown allergies. I found this video the other day and thought you might like it.